stamping for fun

Is there anyone else out there who loves to learn new creative things? I do wonder about this sometimes because I have such a desire to constantly learn another style of what ever artistic tangent I'm on! During my main child raising years, I sewed. That wasn't anything new because I'd been sewing doll clothes and embroidering fabric scraps since I was 5 years old! My mother is a tailor (and yes I do so love that great 'House of the Rising Sun' song!!) so there were always bits of fabric to play with as well as the great example of seeing her cut, stitch and create most of our clothing…….yes, even knickers! I was fortunate enough to be in Primary School when knitting, crochet and embroidery were still being taught, although I'm sure not all my fellow classmates shared my enthusiasm! And now, that I think about it, I wonder what the boys were doing while we girls stitched?
I took Sewing and Design as an elective in High School and can still remember learning about the different ways that wool, cotton or synthetic fabrics reacted when burnt with a match. Oh and trying to draw pictures that resembled those on the front of bought sewing patterns! After school I started working in and eventually managed, a large chain of fabric shops selling dress fabrics, curtains and haberdashery - a bit like Spotlight without the extra junk! And I sewed. Close proximity to loads of gorgeous fabrics and bunches of deleted dress patterns meant that I was always trying out new styles as well as learning new techniques and methods. I loved it all and worked there for 8 years until I had our first child.

Then a whole new world of sewing opened up for me - baby sewing! I sewed, smocked and crocheted my way through each and every type of children's apparel and accessory and my babies were mostly dressed in some sort of mama made (or Oma made) clothing! Of course, even then I was always wanting to learn something new, so I attended a class on how to make a patchwork Christmas wall hanging. Yep, I was hooked! The children's clothing went on hold while I immersed myself in cutting boards, fat quarters and cotton wadding. Oh the glory, the sheer bliss, of another new creative outlet!! Every evening after the children were safely tucked in, I headed into the spare room to cut large pieces of either new or thrifted fabrics into bundles of tiny squares, triangles and strips, which were then sewn together to make beautiful cosy coverings for my loved ones.
An item of beauty and warm, soul-nourishing usefulness is something that has always been dear to my heart. Now when I look at those quilts I am reminded not only of those years that were often a struggle with many mouths to feed and little time to myself, but also of the delight of sweet smelling babes and sturdy young bodies covered in a blanket of love.

Since moving to Tasmania, my creative life has undergone a large change - firstly, for a number of years I was unable to sew due to our house being so tiny and secondly most of my sewing paraphernalia was still in storage on the mainland. I struggled, I really did and the result of that lack of creative space was the beginning of this blog! I began taking a greater interest in photography and wanted to share my pics and thoughts just as so many others were doing, so my creativity shifted slightly to something perhaps less useful from a practical viewpoint to something very useful for my Soul.
And that brings me to my art. It seems that art journaling is the new personal growth mantra and everywhere on the inter web you will find ecourses, classes and retreats dedicated to finding your inner artist. And I did. I revived mine. The one which had lain dormant since I was in my teens and which has now reared its ravenous paint splattered head to roar loudly 'Feed Me'!!!

Sorry, I've digressed in a big way from what I was meaning to tell you. Which was - I love to learn. I need to know. Therefore whenever I see another web site or another ecourse or maybe even just another idea, I want to try it NOW! There are so many ideas in my mind waiting to be birthed and while I'm not excellent at coming up with completely new, new ideas, I am very good at being sparked by others and creating something artistic from that foundation.

And thats how I came to be making stamps! While prowling around I discovered that cutting my own stamps could give a whole new dimension to making art in a journal, so my Fairy and I spent a couple of days drawing, cutting and testing out a bundle of pretty designs. Its a bit like doing embroidery, quite soothing and therapeutic, using just half the brain and leaving the rest to waft off on flights of fancy! I purchased some stamp rubber and the lino cutters from a local art supply store but would dearly love to buy a Speedball cutting tool which has much finer tips to allow for more detailed prints. The inks are good quality archival ink but if your children were making stamps and using them, you could possibly use a cheaper water based pad.
We stamped our way through old book pages, music pages and an old trotting guide and were absolutely delighted with our days work!! We have now run out of stamping rubber but intend to remedy that when we go to town this week! If you are looking for something to give your older children to do, set them up with some of this and await the awesome results…..they will love it!